Whilst opinions on manners and morals may vary, there are a select few social situations in which us Brits pretty much universally agree. Saying please and thank you, holding the door for those walking behind you or offering your seat to a pregnant woman on the bus; these are elements of our daily routines which we don’t even have to think about, right?
Surprisingly, perhaps not. A new survey commissioned by pregnancy experts Mama Mio shows that only 60% of people believe it’s necessary to give up their seat for a pregnant woman on public transport in order to remain considerate. The study also found that:
- Adults believe you don't need to offer a mother-to-be a seat until she is visibly showing, with 3 in 10 saying so.
- 18% agreed you should offer a seat during a woman's third trimester, with 11% saying you should in the second.
- Just 2% said you should offer up your seat when a woman is within her first 12 weeks of pregnancy.
These statistics are undeniably pretty shocking, especially when we consider that we Brits pride ourselves on our polite and courteous nature, however they may not be particularly surprising.
Of the 2,000 people surveyed, two thirds agreed that Brits are typically rude when it comes to travelling on public transport.
More than half said commuters are impatient and so their manners fall by the wayside and an equal number agreed that Brits are too buried in their phones.
These statistics prompted Mama Mio’s latest campaign: Expecting Change. The pregnancy skincare brand noticed that for many of their customers, what should have been one of the simplest elements of their pregnancy journey, the daily commute, was one of the toughest.
For many of these mamas using public transport is a necessity, one made even more tiresome, uncomfortable and cramped by their ever growing bumps.
With a fifth of expectant mothers too embarrassed to ask for a seat, Mama Mio decided that it was time to take a stand, literally.
From social experiments to panel discussions, free badges to their very own branded bus, this summer Mama Mio are providing a platform to discuss public transport etiquette, encouraging people to offer their seats to pregnant women and empowering expectant mums to ask for a seat should they wish.
We want you to hear your thoughts on this topical issue. Do you agree with those surveyed? Is it necessary to sacrifice your seat for a mum to be? Have Brits lost their manners when it comes to public transport? Get on board and join the conversation now using #ExpectingChange
Plus, with every Mama Mio order on lookfantastic you’ll receive a free ‘I’m Expecting’ badge to wear whilst you’re on public transport to show commuters you’re pregnant and eligible for priority seating.
